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Meet Billy Dexter ('84)

An attorney and recognized business leader who was recognized as the 2010 outstanding alumnus for the College of Arts & Behavioral Sciences.

Billy Dexter graduated from SVSU in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts in History and was a member of the 1982 Men’s Track Team (which captured the University's first National Championship and was inducted into the SVSU inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame Class in Fall 2010 ). Presently, Billy is a partner at Heidrick & Struggles and is a member of the global Financial Sservices & Diversity practice that assists clients in creating diverse leadership teams.

"SVSU has given me a educational foundation that changed my life and taught me to have confidence in myself and continue to challenge myself to take risks," explains Dexter. "I left SVSU in the mid-eighties with the belief that everything was possible as long as I made a commitment to the challenge and stayed focus. I will be forever grateful to SVSU with giving me the confidence to 'Make it Happen'."

Before Heidrick & Struggles, Billy was Executive Vice President & Chief Diversity Officer of MTV Networks, a Viacom company. Prior to MTV Networks, Dexter was President of Hudson Inclusion Solutions, a business division of Hudson Highland Group (HHG), a diversity consulting practice he founded within Hudson Highland with clients in over 20 countries. Earlier in his career track, Billy held executive leadership positions with both Monster Worldwide (former parent company of HHG), Deloitte & Touche and United Airlines.

Billy also received a MA degree from Michigan State and has completed executive education program at the Harvard Business School. He has also received numerous honors over the years but most recently, 2011 Uptown Magazine recognized him "Top 100 Diverse Executives". In 2009, Chicago United named him as a 2009 recipient of the Business Leader of Color. The Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) named Billy one of the “Top 100 Global Diversity Thought Leaders” in 2008. The Savoy Magazine awarded him with the trailblazer award in 2002, and Black MBA Magazine recognized him with the “Top 50 MBAs under 50” in 2005.

Billy and his wife, Gisel, live in Lemont, IL. He is an avid golfer, skier and loves to travel the world.

Billy's Tips for Success

1) Commit to completing your degree

2) Discover what motivates you

3) Create a career plan for after graduation

"The plan may take different directions as life happens, but you have to commit to a career direction to 'Make it Happen'."